Salvation Army bells banned in CO Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (NBC)-- Some say they're an integral part of the holiday season and welcome their chiming sounds.

Others say the Salvation Army bell ringers deliver an annoying noise and try to guilt people into donating.

So the tools of the bell ringers' trade will be silent in one Colorado city this season.

Colorado Springs has passed a ban on panhandling in its downtown area, trying to reduce the amount of people asking for handouts. The kettle drive is considered solicitation as well.

The Salvation Army will still be able to ring their attention-getting bells in other parts of the city and county, just not downtown.

Charities in the area are already afraid donations will be down this holiday season because people have given so much already in the aftermath of devastating wildfires, like the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs.

"We are concerned about how do we make it work? Do we have to do cutbacks? We rely on the county. There is no money for the Salvation Army that comes from outside areas. Whatever we do, we have to raise," said Major John Bennett with the Colorado Springs Salvation Army.

However, the Salvation Army has a technology trick up its collective sleeve, which they hope will encourage people in the panhandling area to still donate and make up for some of the ban-caused losses.

They're placing QR codes on their posters, so donors can simply scan the code with certain types of phones and make a donation that way.

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